Fort Mill High School Has Folks Arrested for Cheering (Rock Hill: house, school district)

[VaTechKA]

Originally Posted by NintyFresh

I'll be going to two graduations at the Coliseum next year though, my fiance's (Winthrop, stayed a year longer) and his brother (Clover HS), with me the following year (Winthrop as well!).

If you go to a graduation in that stadium, I am pretty sure you will get to see a similar situation. It was not only FMHS that had the issue, another school had the same thing.

[urbandweller2]

As usual, sure the media is blowing this out or proportion and making the people who are trying to provide order the bad guys. I continue to be amazed at the lack of manners of people in public and isn't it a shame that anyone had to TELL someone how to behave properly in public. No wonder we have problems with kids in schools, they have such shining examples at home.

[Jake Ryan]

I know I'm jumping into this thread late, but I tend to agree with the School authorities on this subject. Everyone wants their family members name heard when they walk across the stage and get their diploma. If the previous students family or friends are hooting and hollering how is that right for the next person? It's just plain disrespectful. You'll have plenty of time to celebrate afterwards...

[VaTechKA]

Originally Posted by Jake Ryan

I know I'm jumping into this thread late, but I tend to agree with the School authorities on this subject. Everyone wants their family members name heard when they walk across the stage and get their diploma. If the previous students family or friends are hooting and hollering how is that right for the next person? It's just plain disrespectful. You'll have plenty of time to celebrate afterwards...

Originally Posted by urbandweller2

As usual, sure the media is blowing this out or proportion and making the people who are trying to provide order the bad guys. I continue to be amazed at the lack of manners of people in public and isn't it a shame that anyone had to TELL someone how to behave properly in public. No wonder we have problems with kids in schools, they have such shining examples at home.

Both of you fail to realize one thing..... Sure, people shouldn't be unruly and loud and distracting and ruin the graduation.... But there are a few problems with how the Police (not school authorities..) handled the situation.

As a disclaimer, the media has nothing to do with how I feel about this because I was in the audience and experienced this first hand.

First of all, the police did not limit the arrests to people that were too loud or too unruly - they arrested you for making the slightest sound. Light clapping was not even tolerated. Any sudden movements or audible noise was an offense. Not only were you arrested, but you were handcuffed and there was force used on you to jerk you around and throw you out of the coliseum.

Secondly, sitting in the audience during the graduation was like sitting under military rule. Everyone was constantly on edge waiting to see what would happen next. Not only was this uncomfortable and completely unenjoyable, but it was distracting - far more distracting than a slight clap here or there.

Would it really be that hard to limit arrests and handcuffs to people who caused a serious distraction, rather than every single person who even acted like they were excited?

I can promise you, the media blew nothing out of proportion. If anything, they downplayed it a bit.

You may think that people need to learn "how to act in public", but you were not there to see what we saw and you did not feel the anxiety of having police stare at you watching your every move. I am glad that I will never have to go back to a graduation in Fort Mill, that's for sure.

[grannynancy]

We saw a big difference betweeen the police presence for my older daughters graduation from FMHS in 2001 vs the younger's in 2004. We were disgusted by the excessive police presence in 2004. I think if they just waited for the hollering to stop before they announced the next name the crowd would police itself because people would be stuck there. But then they do the graduation in the college interior auditorium not the stadium outside so maybe they have time constraints.

My other problem with the graduations at FMHS has always been the timing. In the middle of a work day instead of at night. I am sure a LOT of kids have parents who can't get off because, well, we are in the South and it can be hard to get off for things like deaths, births, hospital visits etc. [sorry -- I have grown up in the south and poor folks have it tough]

I agree that part of the problem is the rudeness of folks yelling and hollering so long that the next person's name is not heard --- that is REALLY a problem to make your kids moment so memorable that it wipes out the next kids moment, but I have too agree they are WAYYYY too controlling - kids can't walk if they are weariing certain shoes etc. Decent school but we found the school to be that way too. I had much more freedom 40 years ago in my high school than kids get today and I don't recall there being any real problems.

I am not sure when people started hooping and hollering at graduationt though, I sure remember my high school graduation with a larger class than my kids and you could have heard a pin drop [well maybe some chuckles at some minor antics]

[yesno]

not moving to Ft Mill NOW. or anywhere in the South. My CL handle is IhateCharlotte

[yesno]

in the head for barking not charging him. A neighbor had reported a loose dog it was a boxer. They sent a cop not animal control. The dog laid in pain at the shelter for 18 hours before it was tended to. It survived. I hope they sue the Lancaster police.

[grannynancy]

Originally Posted by VaTechKA

If you go to a graduation in that stadium, I am pretty sure you will get to see a similar situation. It was not only FMHS that had the issue, another school had the same thing.

My youngest daughter just graduated from Winthrop [same location, winthrop coliseum] and there was cheering just like for the high school kids and they did not pull that arrest thing but for high schools they do.

[VaTechKA]

Originally Posted by grannynancy

My youngest daughter just graduated from Winthrop [same location, winthrop coliseum] and there was cheering just like for the high school kids and they did not pull that arrest thing but for high schools they do.

Yes, I should have said if you attend a high school graduation in that stadium. It seems that they are more slack at college graduations. Doesn't make much sense considering the police officer himself told my friend that one of their main concerns was stopping a school shooting and that was a reason behind the arrests....

If I remember correctly, the last major school shooting happened at Virginia Tech - a college. If they think they are stopping school shootings by arresting everyone who makes a peep, what makes them think this couldn't happen at a college?

Oh well. Just my opinion.

[SatTerra]

Guess I'm old fashioned, graduation is a celebration, no? I say celebrate the fact that your kids made it! Clap, scream, holler, the more the better. It's not a funeral for Pete's sake. Lighten up people, there are far more important matters at hand than family members enjoying the accomplishments of these fine young men and women. Our police officers should be out by Carowinds Blvd., as that's where the true crime is taking place.